Proper motives are critical to reading Scripture well. As we approach reading Scripture, remember we are seeking the wisdom of God. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind” (Jas. 1:5-6). We are not seeking out some simple self-help book we snagged in the bargain bin at our local library. We are plumbing the depths of the richest well within humanity’s reach. This is the very God-breathed word of God intended to bring the person of God to maturity and help them stand before Him in His favor (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Tim. 2:15). 

We must do so with humility and respect. It is interesting that James notes the frailty of riches and uses the imagery of the flowers in the field that burn away and do not last (Jas. 1:9-11). James would probably have been familiar with this same phraseology being used by Isaiah in Isaiah 40:6-8. Isaiah’s point in that passage was how humanity will pass, but the “Word of our God stands forever.” We would do well to remember this is the enduring Word of God. That reality alone should impress us, but James pushes further: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (Jas. 1:17-18). God bestowed on humankind His everlasting word and allowed us the privilege to read it. 

If those two considerations were taken seriously, they would reinvent how we engaged in Bible reading as a community and an individual. 

We should avoid a casual, nonchalant approach to reading the Book of God. We should avoid an arrogant know-it-all spirit that blinds us to the reality of what is depicted in the mirror of God’s word. We should avoid an information-only approach to Bible reading. We must avoid the temptation of reading purely for information or intellectual stimulation, which would fail to appreciate the Bible as information for leading to transformation. 

The proper motives are reflected in the opposites of the improper motives. As was noted previously, we start with a high view of Scripture, seeking wisdom with humility and profound respect. All this leads us to examine ourselves honestly in the mirror of God’s word with a deep desire to do what He says, no matter the cost. A reader who comes to the text with this heart will find it in a way to draw nearer to God, a pure heart undefiled from the world, and God’s favor.